The Izard of Od
by Boongar girl Goggled Monkey
Summary: Don't worry, this summary makes perfect sense. TK's a tree, (Whaa?) Yolie's rusty, (Huh?) and Gatomon's calling Cody straw-for-brains. Confused? Read to be more so.
1. "We're off to see the Izard."

DISCLAIMER- Lasagna2000: "We do not own digimon--" DC: "Yes we do."   
Lasagna2000: "No, we don't..." DC: "Whatever. I do, at least." Lasagna2000:   
"Sure. Anyways, we don't own 'The Wizard of Oz' either." DC: YOU don't own   
'The Wizard of Oz. I do, though." Lasagna2000: "Oy vey." DC: "Oy yourself."  
  
NOTE- Please keep in mind that this story is set when Ken was still a bad   
dude, and no one had digivolved to Champion or DNA digivolved yet.   
  
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_  
  
"Gold Rush!"   
  
"Tempest Wing!"   
  
"Fire Rocket!"   
  
Digmon, Halsemon and Flamedramon attacked Mesdyonemon, the massive digimon   
they were up against, all aiming for the dark ring on Mesdyonemon's leg.   
Mesdyonemon was a champion digimon, and so was stronger than the armor-  
digimon. He was huge, a white bird-like digimon with straight blood red   
stripes, and was five times the size of a Halsemon and could squish any of   
the digimon in a foot step. He had large owl-like wings, also red and white  
in colour, protruding from his shoulder blades instead of forearms, which   
spanned twice the armlength of another digimon his size. He stood on two   
taloned feet, and had a wolf head with straight-back ears. His teeth were  
yellow and dripping with saliva.   
  
"Talon strike!" The thing hissed out, sending a rush of energy towards   
Flamedramon. He leaped out of the way and the three armor-'volved 'mons   
rushed at Mesdyonemon.   
  
The evil digimon threw them aside with one arm, knocking them to the ground.   
As they de-digivolved back into Armadillomon, Hawkmon, and Veemon, Kari and   
TK turned towards their 'mons.   
  
"Patamon!"   
  
"Gatomon!"   
  
Gatomon and Patamon jumped forward. "Mm hm." They nodded at their people.   
  
Kari and TK then yelled simultaneously, "Digi-armour energize!"   
  
Then Gatomon and Patamon armor-digivolved to Nefertimon and Pegasusmon.   
They decided that it was too hard to fight Mesdyonemon himself, so they flew   
up towards the dark spire nearby.  
  
"Golden Noose!"   
  
They aimed for the dark spire. Then, from behind them, they heard   
Mesdyonemon's attack: "BLUE TORNADO!"   
  
Nefertimon and Pegasusmon turned to see Mesdyonemon reach his wings to the   
sky, where a strange blue cyclone, small at first, formed between their tips  
"Run!" Davis screamed.   
  
The Tornado grew bigger and bigger.   
  
"Pegasusmon!" TK called after his digimon.  
  
"Come back! Retreat!"  
  
"You too, Nefertimon!" Kari yelled.   
  
Cody, Davis, and Yolei gathered up their digimon, who were still sprawled on   
the ground. They started running for the TV behind them.  
  
The Tornado came towards Pegasusmon and Nefertimon. They separated, letting   
the tornado pass between them. But Nefertimon got too close to the tornado  
and was sucked in. She slowly de-digivolved back to Gatomon.   
  
"Gatomon!"  
  
As Pegasusmon de-digivolved back to Patamon and landed in TK's arms, TK   
turned and started running after the others.  
"Come on, Kari!"  
  
"No!" Kari screamed as she started running for the tornado. Gatomon dropped  
out of the tornado and into Kari's arms. The tornado started in the   
direction of the dark spire, and towards Kari and Gatomon again. It swept  
them up, both screaming. It kept going towards the dark spire. It knocked it  
over and swept it up, also. Kari, still holding on to Gato, grabbed onto the  
dark spire as an anchor.   
  
Kari was spinning around and around on the dark spire, screaming her head   
off, with one hand holding on to the dark spire, and the other holding on   
to Gatomon. Then, the twister slowed down and Kari and Gatomon on the spire   
went into the eye of the twister. Kari had stopped screaming by now, and she   
and Gatomon watched as the twister formed into the shape of a dark spiral,   
rotating around them. Suddenly, the spiral disintegrated into digidust. Kari   
and Gatomon hung in midair for a second, then were plunged down through the   
clouds to the ground. Kari was screaming again, so was Gatomon. Kari pressed   
herself against the dark spire as the ground rushed up towards them.   
  
As they got closer and closer to the ground, going faster and faster, Kari   
silently said her prayers. "Goodbye Gatomon"  
  
She grabbed Gatomon and hugged her to her. She no longer needed to hold on   
to the spire; the force of gravity pressed her to it.   
  
"Goodbye Kari."   
  
Gatomon hugged Kari back and they both squeezed their eyes shut. Oddly   
though, instead of speeding up, the spire seemed to be slowing down. Then,   
with a sickening crunch, the descent stopped. Kari lifted her head and   
peered around.   
  
They were on the edge of a village with little buildings that seemed way too   
small to fit any human. "Gatomon?"   
  
"Yes?"   
  
"I don't think we're in the Digi-world anymore."   
  
"Ya think?"   
  
Kari silently slipped off the spire, sliding down the smooth side to the   
ground. Feet firmly on the ground, she held her hands out and Gatomon leapt   
into them. Kari looked down at the digimon in her arms.   
"I guess we should see if we can find the others."   
  
Gatomon nodded in agreement and added, "We should check out the village."   
  
"Davis! TK!" Kari called.   
  
"Hey, Hawkmon, Veemon ya out there?"   
  
"Anybody?"  
  
Kari sighed. "I think they went through the TV when that Twister came for   
us. I think the best thing to do is find a TV and go home."  
  
"Right." The cat-like Digimon agreed.   
  
They headed down the path leading to the center of the town, both figuring   
they might find a TV there.  
  
They had made it into the center of town. Behind them was a fountain, the   
water a bright blue. In the center of the fountain a pink rose bud began to   
appear out of nothing, growing until it was huge, and seeming to let off a   
glow. Kari and Gatomon stepped closer, then stepped back, gasping. The bud's   
petals were starting to wiggle and the whole flower seemed to be blooming.   
The whole process took only a few seconds and then from the middle of the   
giant rose a figure stepped out into the promenade. Kari looked at the figure   
in shock. "Mimi!?"  
  
It was Mimi or, at least, looked like Mimi. Her hair, still pink, had a number  
of flowers poking out here and there. She wore a long and fluffy ball gown   
that shone a metallic pink. She wore long pink gloves that matched her dress,  
and transparent green shoes, resembling high heels, and her skin was a pale   
shade of emerald green.   
  
"Who's Mimi? I'm Diginda, the Good Digimon Emperor of the South. What kind   
of Digimon Emperor are you?" The Mimi-look alike said.  
  
Kari was surprised at the question. "What kind of Digimon emperor am I?"   
  
Diginda nodded.   
  
"Well," Kari started, "I'm not a Digimon emperor at all. I'm   
a digidestined. Where am I?"   
  
Now it was Diginda's turn to be puzzled. She put a finger to her face and   
cocked her head to the side. "Well, I don't know what a digidestined is, but   
you must be a Digimon Emperor, for you have killed Sam, the Wicked Digimon   
Emperor of the East, by squashing him with your magical dark spire. The   
Numemon are so happy that you have destroyed him. You are in Nume-land, in   
the land of Od."   
  
While she said this, she led Kari and Gatomon back to where they had landed,   
and pointed out the feet and hands sticking out from underneath the fallen   
spire. Kari was horrified. "What? Who is Sam? Anyways, I didn't mean to kill   
him! I'm so sorry! Where are the Numemon?"   
  
"Oh, no, no, no, it is good that you have killed Sam. He was enslaving the   
Numemon, and when you fell from the sky with your magical dark spire and   
squashed him, you freed them. The Numemon are here. They have been watching   
us since you got here. They have been hiding."   
  
At that point, Kari and Gatomon heard giggles coming from the bushes and   
other places nearby.   
  
Diginda spoke again, but not to Kari or Gatomon. "Come out, Numemon!"   
  
Kari looked around and saw millions of Numemon slowly coming out of hiding   
and towards her, Gatomon and Diginda. Kari thought to herself and remembered   
that time about four years ago when she had freed the Numemon from   
Warmonzaemon, while she and the other digidestined were fighting the Dark   
Masters.   
  
The Numemon had been silent, but now they all spoke simultaneously,   
surrounding Kari, Gatomon, and Diginda. "Queen Kari. Queen Kari."  
  
They repeated this many times, and then backed up to let a small group of   
Numemon wearing Tutus (We're hoping that they were girl Numemon, but you   
never know with Numemon.) come through and stand in front of Kari. They tried   
to dance best they could, but it's sort of hard when you don't have feet, so   
they just sort of bounced around, and sang a song; "We re-pre-sent the slimy  
-girl guild, the slimy-girl guild, the slimy-girl guild. And on behalf of   
the slimy-girl gu-ild, we'd like to welcome you to Nume-land."   
  
The largest Numemon in a tutu stepped forward and presented Kari with a   
bouquet of flowers. Gatomon looked on with jealousy at all the attention   
Kari was getting, but said nothing.  
  
The Numemon in tutus stepped back and three in suspenders stepped forward.   
They started singing in horrible nasal voices. So, basically, they sounded like  
Tai when he sang. "Ohh we re-pre-sent the sewer guild," the little 'mons   
wailed, "The sew-er guild, the sewer guild. And on behalf of the se-wer   
gu-ild, we'd like to welcome you to Nume-laaand."   
  
Two of the Numemon leapt forward and thrust giant lollypops into Kari and   
Gatomon's hands. Gatomon looked down at the sucker in her hands. It was   
covered in a light layer of dripping sludge.   
  
"Lovely." She grunted disgustedly, and tossed it aside.   
  
Kari on the other hand, not wanting to be rude, tucked the lolly in with her   
flowers, which, by the way, were also covered in sludge.   
  
Kari acted flattered and began, "We thank you for your kindness and are   
flattered by your gifts..."   
  
"Yeah, right." Gatomon added under her breath.   
  
Kari whacked Gatomon on the head with her flowers and continued. Gatomon   
wiped the sludge from the flowers off of her ears where Kari had hit her.  
  
"But I want to get back to my home, and for the moment, I have no idea where   
I am and where to go from here to get home. Can you help me get home?"   
  
The Numemon were clearly disappointed that Kari didn't want to stay, but   
didn't say anything.   
  
Diginda began, "Well, w-" But was interrupted by a plume of smoke rising up  
in the center of the crowd and the screams of the Numemon as they all fell   
to the ground and appeared to play dead. From the plume of smoke stepped   
another familiar face, but not necessarily as welcome a face as Mimi's.   
  
"Ken!"   
  
He looked exactly as he did back in the Digi-world. He had his dark blue   
spiky hair, his trademark sunglasses, and his dark cape as before.   
"How do you know my name, and who are you?"   
  
Diginda answered for Kari. "I do not know how she knows your name, but she   
is Kari, and she is no concern of yours."   
  
Ken replied, "I'll be the judge of that. Now - AAUUGGHH!"   
  
He looked down at his feet at the fallen spire. But that wasn't what made   
him scream. It was what was under the dark spire. "NOOOOO! Sam! My brother   
is dead!"   
  
Ken was horrified. He turned in anger to Diginda and Kari. "Who did this?"   
  
Kari stepped forward. "I'm sorry. I did. But I didn't mean to."   
  
Ken raged at her. "How could you? Now you shall die! But first I must take   
Sam's charcoal digivice, his main source of power."   
  
Kari looked down at the hands and feet of Ken's brother sticking out from   
the spire and noticed for the first time a black digivice in one of Sam's   
hands. Ken bent down and was about to take it, when it disappeared from   
Sam's deathly grasp. "What? Where did it go?"   
  
He whirled on Diginda. "What did you do with it?"   
  
Diginda replied, "It's too late! It's already gone. I moved it to where you   
couldn't get it."   
  
She gestured at Kari, and she looked down at her belt, where the black   
digivice was now attached.   
  
"Why you little...."   
  
Diginda interrupted him. "If you're thinking of trying to hurt Kari, you're   
wasting your time. As long as Kari has the digivice, you can't harm her."   
  
Diginda turned to Kari. "Remember, whatever you do, don't let go of the   
digivice."   
  
Kari nodded. Ken spoke again. "I am-"   
  
Diginda cut in, clearly knowing that it pissed him off. "A retarded pea   
brain who can't dress himself?"   
  
Ken looked agitated underneath his sunglasses, but continued. "I am-"   
  
Diginda, smiling, cut in again. "Very funny looking in that cape and   
sunglasses?"   
  
Ken started frowning and tried once again to talk. "I am-"   
  
Diginda cut in for the third time. "Wearing women's panties?"   
  
Kari was clearly amused at this, so was Gatomon, and they both started   
laughing away.   
  
Ken turned bright red and yelled at Diginda "STOP THAT!"   
  
She started laughing too and she, Kari and Gatomon all laughed their heads   
off at Ken.   
  
"AAAAUUUGGHHH!" Ken screamed.   
  
He reached into his cape, pulled out a dark ring, and flung it at Diginda's   
head. Diginda, still laughing, stuck out her hand in the direction of the   
ring, blocking it, and turning it into flowers on impact. Diginda stopped   
laughing but was still smiling. She turned towards Ken and wagged her finger   
at him. "Uh uh uh, Kenny boy. We must control our tempers, okay?"   
  
Ken was exasperated. "That is it! I am out of here! But," he said to Kari,   
"I'll get you, my pretty, and your little 'mon too."   
  
With that, he wrapped his cape around him and disappeared into thin air.   
  
The Numemon slowly got up and gathered around Kari, Gatomon and Diginda.   
  
Diginda reminded Kari, "Remember what I told you. Never let go of the   
digivice or you will experience the wrath of Ken. Um, no pun intended."  
  
Kari asked Diginda once again, "So, can you help me get home?"   
  
Diginda shook her head. "I'm sorry. I cannot help you, but I can direct you   
to someone who can. His name is the 'Izard of Od. He can help you get home,   
for his powers are far greater than mine."   
  
"Sheez, she can turn powerful dark rings into flowers, she can make   
appearances by stepping through flowers, but she can't help us get home."   
Gatomon muttered, continuing. "If you ask me, I think that - Mmmmph"   
  
Kari had stuffed her lollipop into Gatomon's mouth, thwarting her attempts   
to further badmouth the good digimon emperor that, despite her lack of   
powers to get them home, was still more powerful than Kari or Gatomon. Kari   
explained this to her later, but Gatomon simply said that Angewomon could   
kick Diginda's butt.   
  
Gatomon pulled the slimy lolly out of her mouth with a grimace of disgust,   
but didn't continue. She only threw aside the lollipop, crossed her arms,  
and sat down sulkily. Kari asked Diginda, "Where do I go to find this 'Izard   
of Od?"   
  
Diginda replied, "Why, in Turquoise City, of course!"   
  
"And how do I find that?" Kari asked.   
  
One of the Numemon closest to Kari replied in a high-pitched, nasal voice,   
"Follow the digital road!"   
  
Another squeaky Numemon voice chimed in, "Follow the digital road!"   
  
All the Numemon started singing, "Follow the digital road, follow the   
digital road, follow -follow -follow -follow -follow the digital   
road!"   
  
At this they led Kari and Gatomon (Actually, they dragged Gatomon. She was   
still cranky.) out of the village to a black, shiny road that looked like   
millions of computer screens all linked together to form a road. The road   
went around and around in circles, and then went straight far off into the   
distance. The Numemon, still singing their annoying little nasal song, took   
Kari and Gatomon to the very center of the circular road, where it began,   
and two Numemon gave Kari and Gatomon each a small push, to get them to   
start on the road. Gatomon glared at the Numemon, but followed Kari as she   
started walking down the road.  
  
Diginda had followed them up to that point, and now waved goodbye as a   
gigantic rose bud formed beside her, then closed around her and  
disappeared when she stepped into it.   
  
Kari and Gatomon had walked down the road until they were far from the   
village of Numemon, when Gatomon flopped down on the grass beside the   
digital road. "Oh, come on Gatomon!" Kari said. "We haven't even been   
walking for an hour!"   
  
Gatomon replied, "Well, first of all, I feel particularly awful, because   
today I have been in a tornado, I've fallen how many thousand feet to the   
ground, and somehow survived it, and I've been forced to eat a sludge-  
covered lollipop. DO YOU KNOW HOW THAT MAKES ME FEEL?!?!?"   
  
"Well, if we're going to talk about how awful we feel, I do know what it   
feels like to be in a tornado and drop how many thousands of feet to the   
ground, because need I remind you that I WAS THE ONE WHO MADE SURE YOU   
DIDN'T FALL OFF? Second of all, I have been going through a lot of STRESS   
today, getting threatened by an evil digimon emperor, finding out I'm in a   
place that I've never heard of before, making sure that YOU didn't get us   
zapped by the Digimon Emperor on OUR side, and making sure that the Numemon   
DON'T hate us! How is that? You don't see ME complaining! Oh, poor Gatomon!   
She had to eat a LOLLIPOP! NOW....GET UP! WE'RE CONTINUING ON!"   
  
Gatomon stared at Kari with wide eyes. Gatomon tried to defend herself. "Uh,   
well, well I need to save my strength to....."   
  
"OH, COME ON!"   
  
Gatomon slowly got up and followed Kari. Neither of them said anything more.   
Finally, after about ten minutes of silence, Gatomon sighed, "Kari, I'm   
sorry."   
  
Kari looked down at the 'mon by her feet and smiled. She crouched down and   
patted Gatomon on the head. "That's ok, Gato. I know we're just a little   
stressed cause its been so weird."   
  
As they walked, Kari watched as the grass beside the 'Digital road' slowly   
changed into long fields of corn.  
  
Another sigh came, this time from Kari. Gatomon looked up at her partner   
and asked, "What's wrong?"   
  
Kari looked down, worried. "It's just I'd really like to know where we are."   
  
"We do know where we are Kari."   
  
"Where?"  
  
"On the Digital road!!"  
  
Kari glared down at Gatomon, who was snickering at her own joke. "Oh, very   
funny, Gatomon."   
  
The Digimon grinned up at Kari. "I thought so."   
  
"What I mean," Kari continued, silencing her 'mon with a glare, "...is where   
is the Digital road?"  
  
Gatomon opened her mouth but Kari stopped her from speaking by raising her   
hand. "And don't say it's in Numeland cause I already know that."   
  
"So, why did you ask?"   
  
"Ughhh!"   
  
Kari threw her hands up in annoyance. After a few seconds, Kari tried again.   
"Do you think we're in the Digiworld, Gatomon?"   
  
The cat shook her head, puzzled. "Seriously?" The 'mon asked.   
  
Kari nodded.   
  
Gatomon said, "I don't know. It doesn't seem like the Digital   
World but Ken, Mimi and the Numemon are here. They are all acting really   
weird except, maybe, for Ken but he doesn't recognize us."   
  
Kari nodded, agreeing with Gatomon.   
  
Encouraged, Gatomon continued, "And Numemon are always weird."   
  
"Have you ever heard of Numeland?" Kari asked.   
  
The 'mon shook her head.   
  
"How 'bout the Turquoise city?"   
  
Again Gatomon shook her head.   
  
"Well, I guess, the best thing we can do is keep going till we get to this   
Turquoise city or meet the others"   
  
This time Gatomon nodded and they both smiled. They continued trudging down   
the road, happy that they had a plan.  
  
They continued down the road silently for the next ten-minute 'til Kari said,  
"Oh no."  
  
"What?" Gatomon asked, then realizing what Kari was upset about.   
  
"Oh no, that's not good."   
  
The Digi road split in three, all three paths disappearing into the   
distance.   
  
"Oh, that's just great," Gatomon snarled in disgust, "That stupid   
Diginda didn't say anything about a fork in the road."   
  
"Oh, be quiet, Gato. Diginda probably didn't even know about it."  
  
"Exactly. That's why she's stupid."  
  
Kari wanted to defend the flowery Mimi look-alike but she did agree that it   
was pretty stupid to send them off down a road to get lost. This situation   
was getting worse every minute.   
  
"Maybe there's someone we can ask for help." Gatomon suggested.   
  
Kari looked around, doubting it. All you could see for miles was corn and a  
scarecrow that was hanging a few feet away with his head flopped down and a   
few crows.   
  
Gatomon sighed, thinking the same thing. "Hmm, which way to go?"   
  
Then they both heard a voice that sounded familiar in its soft but raspy   
tone. "Well, some folks go that way."   
  
Kari and Gatomon looked up and noticed the scarecrow. Kari could have sworn   
that its arms had been limp at its sides, but now one arm was up and pointed   
in the direction of one of the possible paths.   
  
"That's funny. I could have sworn - Gatomon, was that scarecrow always like   
that?"   
  
"No, I don't think so, but I wasn't really paying attention." Gato replied.   
  
They heard the voice again. "But other folks go that way."   
  
They looked up again and noticed that one of the scare-crow's arms now   
pointed in the direction of one of the other paths. Then, while they were   
looking at him, the scarecrow lifted its head (Gatomon shrieked.) so Kari and   
Gato could see its face.   
  
"Cody!"  
  
And it was Cody. Or at least a very good look-alike. His face was mostly   
covered by a large pointy hat that slanted to one side. It's brim was blue   
and the rest was yellow. The whole hat was faded and covered with patches.   
In fact, his whole outfit was faded and covered in patches. He wore a yellow   
shirt that was overly too large for the boy-er-scarecrow and hung well below   
his knees. The arms of the shirt had been rolled up many times and stuck   
out, making his arms look... well, odd. On the right side of the shirt a   
purple symbol had been carelessly sewn on. Kari recognized the symbol, too.  
It was....um knowledge, wasn't it? Well, that did make sense. Cody, after   
all, holds the digiegg of knowledge. Odd, she couldn't see reliability anywhere.   
His pants were a faded sky blue and hung below his feet preventing Kari   
from seeing his footwear.   
  
The scarecrow looked puzzled for a minute, but otherwise ignored Kari's   
outcry and continued. "But..."   
  
His arms moved again, right before their eyes and crossed his arms over each   
other to point at both paths. "Some people go both ways."   
  
Kari asked Cody look-alike, "Can't you make up your mind?"   
  
Scarecrow appeared sad for a moment. "Nope. I don't have one."   
  
Gato bounded up to Cody the scarecrow and asked, "Have you lost your mind?   
Everyone has a brain."   
  
"Well, I suppose I have lost my mind, in one sense, cause I don't have a   
brain."   
  
"Well, we don't have much time to lose, so we can't stay very long. We're   
going to see the 'Izard of Od, whoever he is." Gatomon said.   
  
The scarecrow's face fell again. "Oh. Ok."   
  
"Don't be ridiculous, Gato. We have all the time in the world. Sort of."   
Kari told her 'mon.   
  
"Sshh... we don't want him to know that."   
  
"You're mean today, Gatomon. Besides, it's only Cody, and he's one of the   
digidestined. I think he should come with us, whether you like it or not."   
  
Now she spoke to the scarecrow-Cody again, who had started staring off into   
space after Gatomon had said they couldn't stay. "Hey, Scarecrow, why don't   
you come with us? Maybe the 'Izard can help you too, and give you a brain."   
  
The scarecrow's face lit up again and answered, "Oh, yes! That's a great   
idea! I wish I thought of that, but then, if I did, then I wouldn't need   
help, would I?"   
  
Gatomon interrupted. "Time out. Let me talk to Kari for a moment."   
  
She pulled Kari aside. "Are you nuts?" She whispered. "First of all, he'll   
just slow us down, and, second of all, I just think he's slow, not mindless.  
He has a brain. How else does he move and talk? He's a nut, and I think it's  
wearing off on you for that stupid suggestion."   
  
"Well, he'll make good company, nonetheless. Besides, I already invited   
him."   
  
Gatomon gave up and frowned. "Ah, well. Ok."   
  
"Lighten up."   
  
Gatomon smiled, obviously a fake one, but Kari thought it was funny, and   
started smiling, a real smile.   
  
They both looked up at Cody again. "Ok, we're done. So, are you coming?"   
  
Cody-scarecrow nodded and smiled. "Let's go!"   
  
He wiggled about, probably an attempt to get loose from his post, but to no   
avail. "Uh, a little help would be nice."   
  
Kari walked over to the post that scarecrow was hanging from, and started   
tugging on his legs. His pants slipped down a couple of inches to reveal   
lots of hay stuffing, but he was still hanging from the post. "Gato, can you   
give me a hand here?" Kari called back to Gatomon.   
  
"Sure."  
  
Gatomon ran over beside Kari and then (not very gracefully) climbed up the   
pole until she was perched on top of Cody's head. He seemed amused to have a   
cat on his head, but then Gato stepped off of his head onto the pole when   
she determined that he had dandruff. "Ok, Kari," she called down, "When I   
say so, push him upwards the best you can."   
  
"Ok."   
  
Gatomon grabbed the back of the scarecrow's shirt with her teeth, and   
grasped him underneath his straw armpits. "GOMPH!"   
  
"You meant 'Go!', right?" a puzzled Kari called up.   
  
"Yesh!" The 'mon replied best she could with her mouth full.   
  
So, Kari pushed Cody's feet up while Gato pulled him up off the hook he was   
on. Then, with a big thump, he fell to the ground, pulling Gatomon with him   
and landing on Kari. Gatomon stood up, dusting herself off. "You know, for a   
person made entirely out of straw, you are very heavy." She observed.  
  
"HELP ME UP!"   
  
Kari was stuck underneath Cody, and apparently, she agreed with Gato's   
statement. Cody rolled over as Kari pushed him away. Kari stood up also,   
dusting herself off too. Cody, still on the ground, spoke. "By the way,   
thank-you."   
  
"You're welcome." Kari replied. "But I strongly recommend that you cut down   
on the chocolate bars."   
  
Gatomon smiled as she helped Cody up. "GAAHH!" THUMP!  
  
"Sorry, I thought I'd be able to stand." Scarecrow apologized to the   
squished 'mon.   
  
"It'sh Ok, jusht GET OFF!"   
  
Kari pulled Cody up off of Gatomon. "Let's try this again. Don't you know   
how to walk?"   
  
"Well, sure, but I've been stuck on that pole for a few years now, and I   
don't think I've been getting enough exercise."   
  
"Good point."   
  
Kari pulled Scarecrow up to a standing position, where he stood for a   
moment, then fell onto Kari. He promptly got up again, only to fall down   
again. "Maybe we should just leave you behind." Gato smirked.   
  
"NO!"   
  
Cody sprang to his feet, wobbled a bit, then pointed to one of the roads.   
"You want to go to Turquoise City, right?"  
  
"Yep."   
  
"OK then! And we're off!"   
  
Kari was happy to be on the way, and, in a moment of insanity, she started   
singing, and Scarecrow joined in. "We're off to see the 'Izard, the wonderful 'Izard of Od! La la la......."  
  
The two started skipping down the road arm in arm. Gato shook her head and   
rolled her eyes, then muttered "When in Rome..." and ran after the two,   
linking arms with Kari, and starting to sing too.  
  
To Be Continued...  



	2. "Well, we're somewhere over the rainbow....

(Type a title for your page here) AN: DC-Hi just a quick note from us. We finally finished the second part. Yeah!  
DB-Boongar!  
DC-Right. Just ignore her. She's really unbalanced. As always **REVIEW**.   
***********************************************************************************************   
The trio had walked for about a half-hour when they came upon a group of apple trees. 

"Oh, apples! I love apples! Let's pick some. I'm so hungry." Kari said. 

Gatomon agreed, referring to the fact that Kari hadn't shared her breakfast that morning, and that all she'd eaten that day was sludgy lollipops. Scare-Cody also agreed, and they all bounded up to the trees. But when Kari reached for an apple on the nearest tree, much to her surprise, a leafy branch reached out and slapped her wrist. 

"Don't!" a familiar voice screeched, "...touch the 'do. I have to look nice for my Matti-chan!" 

"Hmm." Gatomon whispered sarcastically, "I wonder who that could be?" 

The tree sounded and looked like Jun Motomiya, if a tree can look like somebody. The tree batted her eyelashes, (that is, if a tree can have lashes) and called out, "Isn't that right, Maaaaatt? (Giggle)" in a sing- song voice. 

"No! Go away!" a tree nearby answered gruffly, with crossed tree branches, "Curse the gardener that planted me near you." 

"Oh, stop teasing, Maaatt. You know you love me." 

Kari, Gatomon, and Scare-Cody were in hysterics, listening to the two. But then Kari remembered their original reason for stopping. She raised her hand, causing both trees to turn and look at her. "Uum, can we have some apples?" 

The Jun-tree screeched, "Are you crazy? and mess up my 'do?" 

The Matt-tree cut in again. "Like anyone can mess that up." 

The two trees were no longer paying any attention to Kari or anyone else. The argument continued like this, and Kari, Gato, and Scare-Cody knew they would never get any apples from the stubborn plants. Nevertheless, they stayed and listened to the argument until they were bored, at which point they slowly backed away and started to continue down the road. But as they left, a leafy branch tapped Kari on the shoulder, Kari thought for an instant that Jun-tree had changed her mind, but when she turned around, she met a different face. 

"Hey! It's Tree-K!" Gatomon shouted, laughing at her own joke. 

And indeed it was. The tree in front of them resembled the blonde-haired boy a lot, and he was holding out an apple for Kari. "You can have some of my apples," he said. "They," he gestured towards the still arguing trees, "are a lost cause." 

"Thank you," Kari said as she plucked the apple from his leafy grip. 

"Yeah, thanks." Cody said, while filling up his hat with apples. 

Gatomon also took an apple, and began munching on it hungrily and happily. "Mmm! Grade A!" 

Tree-K grinned a leafy grin. Just then, they heard Jun-tree speak again, this time to the trio of non-trees. "And you're saying that my apples aren't?" 

"Well, you wouldn't give us any." Snarled Gatomon. 

"Calling me greedy, eh? Take that!" 

Jun-tree plucked an apple off of herself and threw it at Gato, smacking her in the forehead. Kari, Cody and Gatomon picked up their own apples and threw them right back at Jun-tree, who screeched on impact. 

"YEA!" The Matt-tree yelled. 

Jun-tree then threw an apple at Matt-tree, which he threw right back. Tree-K also joined in the apple fight, and soon everyone was throwing apples. 

"OK, bye!" Kari laughed after awhile, as she dodged an apple, flung near her head. 

She gathered Gatomon up in her arms and grabbed Scare-Cody's hand, who still had a hat full of apples. 

"Bye!" Tree-K yelled. 

Gatomon still wanted to throw apples, but she went with Kari anyways. It was now two against one, Matt-tree and Tree-K against Jun-tree. 

As they walked out from the grove, an apple whistled out from the fight and smacked Scare-Cody in the back. 

"Yagghh!" He cried as he fell, scattering the apples everywhere. 

"Sorry." Matt-tree called sheepishly. He then yelped as an apple beaned him in the face. 

"Great going, straw-for-brains." Gatomon growled, disgustedly. 

"Sorry." Scare-Cody bent over and started to refill his hat. 

"It's not your fault." Kari said, awkwardly patting him on the shoulder. "We can help you pick them up......right Gatomon?" Kari sent a meaningful glare at her 'mon. 

"Fine." The cat hissed, helping to retrieve the fallen apples. 

Kari leaned close to the ground searching for the fallen fruit. "Gee," she whispered to her self, "They really went far." 

She already was out of firing range of the great apple war and all she had Were three apples. She came to a clearing with an old falling down cabin. A glint of bright red caught her eye. 

"Ah ha!" she cried, grabbing the apple. "Thought you could get away, huh?" 

A strange lump of silver caught her eye. She rapped on it and it let out a hollow thump. "Weird, this thing almost looks like a digiegg....or...a..a.. ..foot. "She looked up and gasped. "GATOMON! SCARE-CODY!" she cried, "IT'S YOLEI! IT'S YOLEI MADE OF TIN!" 

Gatomon and Scare-Cody came running through the woods, Cody with a hatful of apples again. 

"What is it?" Gatomon asked breathlessly. 

"Well, isn't it apparent from what I just yelled?" 

"Good point." 

At that, Cody and Gatomon looked up at the tin figure. Of course, Cody didn't recognize her, but Gatomon did. It was Yolei, alright. Well, it was Yolei cast entirely out of shiny silver tin, at least. She sparkled brightly in the sun and the trio had to squint to stare at her. 

Kari walked slowly around the silent figure, flabbergasted. It looked exactly as her friend had looked this morning at the computer lab; a large beret, her wide wire framed glasses. Only she had a few bolts here and there on the places where her legs and arms bent and an odd expression on her face. 

"Weird." Kari muttered. 

Gatomon nodded. 

"I take it this looks like someone else you know?" Scare-Cody asked, a perplexed look on his face. 

Gatomon nodded again. "Uh huh. You know, I bet she'd be thrilled to know there was a statue of her somewhere. I wonder who made her?" 

"I don't think it's a statue. It looks more like a robot or something. And," Kari said, "if this is a completely different world, how did whoever made this know what Yolei looked like?" 

"Yah." Gatomon agreed. "Actually," Gatomon said, pulling Kari aside, "When you think about it, why does Scare-Cody look like Cody? I mean, he's a scarecrow, so someone had to make him." 

"You're right." Kari realized this now. 

"Do you think we should ask Scare-Cody why he looks like Cody?" Gatomon asked. 

"No. That would be just like someone asking us why we looked like we did. All we would be able to say is that we were made that way. You know what I mean?" 

"True." 

"Ok," Scare-Cody walked over to the two whispering females, "Whether or not this thing looks like someone you know, you can puzzle over this on the way. Like you said, we don't have much time, so we should hit the road." 

Kari and Gatomon agreed with their straw-filled companion, and turned to follow him as he started walking slowly out of the woods. A tiny squeak made Gatomon turn back to the tin girl. "Whaaa?" 

She peered closely at the robot. The mouth seemed to move ever so slightly and the sound came again. 

"Gatomon, are you coming?" Kari called back to her 'mon. 

Gatomon looked back at Kari, surprised. "I think that..the..uh..Tin-Yolei said something." 

"What?" Kari said, now just as surprised as Gatomon. She walked up to Tin- Yolei just as she let out another squeak. Kari gasped. "What did she say?" 

"I think she said 'Oilcan', whatever that means" Cody replied, having come up behind Kari. 

"Oilcan?" Gatomon replied dubiously. 

The Tin-Yolei squeaked again, this time more audible. "Oil..Can!" 

They all jumped at this. Kari looked at the metal version of Yolei and suddenly noticed that the robot's eyes were moving. She pointed this out to the others, too. 

"Ok, that's strange. But what can it mean by 'oilcan'?" Gatomon said. 

"Hmm..." they all thought for a moment, then Kari looked at Tin-Yolei again. 

She repeated, "Oil...Can!" 

Kari glanced at Tin-Yolei's eyes. They were looking at something behind them, almost gesturing with her eyes what to do. Kari turned around to see what Tin-Yolei was looking at; a crudely-made oil can, sitting on a stump nearby. 

Kari pointed at it. "Is that what you're talking about?" 

The robot let out a squeak of happiness and moved its eyes around excitedly. Scare-Cody grabbed the can and passed it over to Kari. 

"What part would you like oiled first?" Kari questioned the tin girl. 

"Mii Moou-ph" 

Kari cocked her head for a moment, then took a guess at what the girl had said. "Your mouth?" 

"Yepphs." 

Kari nodded and leaned close to the figure, dripping a few drops of oil on the jaw. The reaction was immediate as the jaw suddenly fell as if unhinged. It shot back up, then down a few times. Then it broke into a wide grin as Tin-Yolei squeaked out in a more normal voice (but not much), "Thank you." 

Her expression looked even odder now. The smile looked out of place with the raised eyebrows and wide eyes. "Oh, thank you, thank you." The girl-bot cried happily. "Could you get the rest of my face?" 

Kari complied happily and watched as one eyebrow fell, then the other and her eyes loosened in appearance. For a good measure, Kari added oil to the neck. 

After Kari was finished the face, she passed the oilcan down to Gatomon, who oiled the knee and foot joints. Tin-Yolei slowly raised one leg, then another as Kari took the oil can again and oiled the arms. Finally, Tin-Yolei was flexible all over again. 

The robot tilted and Kari thought for a moment that she was falling, but soon saw that she was simply lying back on the grass, sighing. The robot blinked and stared sleepily at the trio through glittery eyelashes. "I know I said this before, but thank you, thank you very much!" 

She slowly sat up as the three travelers sat beside her. "I thought I'd be stuck like that for ever." 

"How ever did you get stuck like that in the first place?" Kari inquired, "If you don't mind my asking?" 

The tin girl shook her head. "I don't mind. See, I was made a long time ago to care for the apple trees, pruning them and such." 

"Why were you made to do that?" Gatomon asked. 

"Well, the tin smith who made me liked apples but the trees didn't like him. Whenever he got near them they'd smack him on the head. He built me to pick apples 'cause I wouldn't get hurt." 

"You wouldn't?" 

"Nope." Tin-Yolie smiled proudly, "If the trees hit me on the head they would just bruise their branches." 

"That's nice," Gatomon said huffily, "but it doesn't answer why you were out here." 

"I'm getting to that." Tin-Yolie frowned. "You see that little cabin?" Tin-Yolie pointed and the rest nodded. "Well, that's where I would stay at night or when it rained. One particularly cloudy night, I was sitting in my cabin when I heard a noise. I was afraid that Sam the Evil Digimon Emperor of the East had come to steal apples. I ran outside but saw no one. I was about to go back in when suddenly it began to rain and I've been rusting here ever since." 

"How sad." Kari said sympathetically. 

"Yes, it was. But you three came and saved me!" The metal girl grinned happily. 

"Yes, you're perfect now," Kari said, happy she was able to help. 

Tin-Yolie got the saddest expression on her face that Kari thought immediately that she had said something wrong and quickly apologized, "I'm sorry." 

"Oh no, it's not your fault," Tin-Yolie shook her head, "It's just ....... I'm not perfect." 

Gatomon snickered. *Cough* "Obviously." *Cough* 

"Pardon?" Cody questioned Tin-Yolei, ignoring the 'mon like most people. 

"You see," Tin-Yolei started unhappily, "when the tin smith made me he forgot to make me a heart." 

"No heart!" Scare-Cody and Kari exclaimed. 

"No heart." Tin-Yolei answered miserably. 

"That's impossible!" Gatomon scoffed, "You have to have a heart. All living creatures have them, even us digimon." 

"Well, I don't!" Tin-Yolei snapped back. 

"Cody, knock on her chest," Kari said. 

"Uhhh," Cody stammered. 

"I'll do it," Gatomon crowed, "You'll see she's as crazy as Straw-For-Brains!" 

The feline 'mon leapt up from her spot on the ground and rapped roughly on Tin-Yolei's chest. The sound reverberated a few times before fading off. 

"What an echo!" Kari exclaimed. 

Scare-Cody nodded in agreeance. 

"Sure, sure, nice acoustics and all," Gatomon started, "But it doesn't prove you have no heart." 

"Take my word for it." 

"I have a great idea!" Kari said happily. She gestured for Scare-Cody and Gatomon to huddle around her. 

Tin-Yolie watched bemused as the three whispered furiously. The small group broke apart and looked up at her happily. 

"We've decided that you should come with us to the Turquoise city." said Kari 

Scare-Cody nodded. "And perhaps the 'Izard of Od Would be kind enough to give you a heart." 

"Or, at least, common sense." 

"Shh, Gatomon." 

"What, it was funny!" Gatomon protested, "So wada ya think?" 

Tin-Yolei looked perplexed "I'd love to get a heart but.." 

"But?" Kari asked 

"Who would look after the trees? What if Sam the Evil Digimon Emperor came? How would they protect themselves?" 

"No need to worry about that." Gatomon said proudly, "Me and Kari took care of him fine. Dropped a dark spire on his head." 

"By accident." Kari said, quickly. 

"He...he's dead?" Tin-Yolie asked, surprised. 

"As dead as a doornail" Gatomon chirped. 

"And you don't have to worry about the new Emperor," Kari started, "He probably has better things to hurt than trees." 

"That's true. I have you two to hurt!" 

The four gasped and spun around. There was Ken smirking from the top of Tin-Yolei's cabin. 

"Seems you've added more misfits to your pathetic group." He sneered menacingly. 

Tin-Yolei looked panicked and Scare-Cody took a step back. Kari crossed her arms and stared right back at Ken. The Ken in the real world didn't scare her so why should he scare her now? 

"The only pathetic thing I see here is you." Gatomon hissed. 

Ken's eyes widened. Apparently he hadn't expected this kind of response. He quickly got over his surprise. "No one has ever had the gall to speak to me like that before. You have spirit and that annoys me. I will ask this once. Hand over the charcoal digivice or you'll never reach the Turquoise City alive." 

Gatomon made a face. "How in the Digiworld would we make it to the Turquoise city dead?" 

"Huh?" 

Gatomon put her paws on her hips. "Well, you said we'd never make it alive. You seemed to imply that somehow we'd make it there dead." 

"That's not what I meant," Ken growled, peeved. 

"Well," Gatomon answered, "maybe you should talk clearer. Let me guess. English isn't your first language?" 

Kari and Tin-Yolei giggled. 

Ken glared at them, cheeks reddening. "First Diginda, now you four. I have never seen so much insolence. I warn you two," He looked at Scare-Cody and Tin-Yolei, "stay away from these two or," he pointed at Scare-Cody, "I'll feed a Monocromon with you." 

Tin-Yolei snickered. Ken turned his gaze on her. "And you! I'll make a control panel outta you." 

Tin-Yolei looked shocked. Ken smiled evilly. "How about a little fire, Scarecrow? Meramon!" 

No sooner had he spoken than a Meramon stepped out from behind the cabin. With a burst of laughter Ken disappeared in a plume of smoke. 

"Flame fist." The Meramon cried sending a wave of fire their way. The four leaped back just in time to avoid going up in flames. The grass wasn't so lucky, creating a small wild fire. 

"What are we gonna do?" Scare-Cody asked, panicked. 

Gatomon ran up to Kari. "Kari, I'll armour-digivolve!" 

Kari nodded. "Digi-Armour energize!" 

"Gatomon armour-digivolve to....Nefertimon, the Angel of Light!" 

Nefertimon stepped toward the Meramon and it stepped backwards. "Rosetta Stone!" she cried as she attacked the fiery digimon. 

The Meramon cried in surprise, then turned tail into the woods. Nefertimon turned and walked in front of the group, then de-digivolved back to Gatomon. Tin-Yolei and Scare-Cody just stared at her with wide eyes. 

"She...she got bigger." Tin-Yolei stammered. Scare-Cody nodded wordlessly. 

"She just armour-volved." Kari soothed, "It's a thing Digimon do." 

Gatomon nodded. "When our partners get in trouble we do it to protect them." 

"Wow." Scare-Cody exclaimed, impressed. 

"I wish I could do that." Tin-Yolie said, sounding wistful. 

"Well, I'm not sure about Digivolving yourselves," Kari began, "but my friends back where I come from have Digimon partners too that they help to make digivolve." 

"Yah." Gatomon agreed, friendly after her successful battle. "They use powers they have. Kari uses the digiegg of Light." 

Kari walked over to Scare-Cody and pointed at the symbol on his shirt. "See, my friend Cody -you look like him or he looks like you- has the digiegg of Knowledge. That's what this symbol means." 

Scare-Cody looked at his shirt in disbelief. "Knowledge? Like a brain?" 

Kari nodded. Tin-Yolei rushed over to them. 

"You said I looked like one of your friends too. What's her symbol?" 

Kari scratched her head. "It's love. It looks like...um," she bent over the ground and drew a rough heart on the ground. "Something like this. Have you ever seen this symbol before?" 

Tin-Yolei nodded happily. "Yes!" The robot sat down on the ground and held the bottom of her foot up for inspection. "Is this it?" 

On the bottom of her left foot was the crest of Love. Kari was amazed. "Yep, that's it." 

Tin-Yolei beamed. 

"So, anyways," Gatomon asked, "do you want to come with us or not?" 

"Sure. But I'm still worried about the trees. If I'm gone, Ken might come and hurt them." 

"Think of it this way. How long were you stuck after being out in the rain?" 

"Oh, I don't know. All I know is that it was a very long time." 

"Well, the whole time that you were immobile, did the trees ever get hurt?" 

"You have a point there. Ok, I'll go!" 

"Excellent," Kari said, smiling, "now we must sing. Everybody! We're off to see t-" 

Gatomon interrupted the singing digidestined, "I'm NOT singing, Kari." 

"Party pooper." 

"Am not." 

"Are too," Everyone else said simultaneously, then started skipping down the road. 

Gatomon frowned and started to run after the singing group. "Lunatics." 

To be continued... 


End file.
